STEVE BANDOMA: Space "Currencies in Contemporary African art" at the Museum Africa

Huge art show planned for 2010

Written by Ndaba Dlamini
Friday, 18 September 2009
An exhibition of works collected from around the continent will add an artistic legacy to the football tournament, and show Africa to the world.
ARTISTS of Africa, an art and craft exhibition featuring the work of artists from all over the continent, will take place at Museum Africa in 2010.

Head curator of Artists of Africa Thembinkosi Goniwe
Billed as one of the main attractions during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, the exhibition will run at the Newtown venue from 11 May to 11 July 2010. It is expected to attract thousands of visitors during the month-long World Cup, which kicks off on 11 June 2010.
At the official launch of the exhibition on Wednesday, 16 September at the Joburg Theatre Complex in Braamfontein, the head of the City's 2010 unit, Sibongile Mazibuko, said the exhibition was a City of Johannesburg initiative that was meant to augment the World Cup as a truly African event.
"This is an important pan-African contemporary art exhibition recognised as an official 2010 World Cup host city event. We are calling on African artists from all over the continent to participate," she said.
The member of the mayoral committee for community development, Bafana Sithole, said every passing day brought the 2010 World Cup closer. Artists of Africa was conceptualised by the City to use the pressure from hosting the football tournament to ensure that a lasting arts legacy was left after the competition was over.
"When the World Cup has come and gone, there should be something of value left behind ... This exhibition is meant to portray the continent's diverse cultures and for African artists to showcase their work. It is also meant to draw global attention to Africa. The City is proud to host the event," said Sithole.
Heritage
Also present at the launch was the MEC for sport, arts, culture and recreation, Nelisiwe Mbatha-Mtimkulu, who said the exhibition would become part of South Africa's heritage and at the same time, expose the work of African artists to the rest of the world.
"The exhibition will develop the contemporary African art industry and thus give an opportunity for African artists to make a decent living for themselves."

Head of the City’s 2010 unit, Sibongile Mazibuko
At the launch, a sneak preview of what people could expect from the exhibition was beamed on to a huge screen. The video showed some artwork from African artists.
"From what I have heard and seen about the Artists of Africa exhibition so far, the best football has to be played at the 2010 World Cup for people to attend matches, otherwise this exhibition will draw most of the crowds. The exhibition features an exciting programme that the City is putting together," he said.
Giving a brief outline of the exhibition, the head curator of Artists of Africa, Thembinkosi Goniwe, said it was entitled Space.
"We are working towards a projection of what Africa is all about. But Africa is complex; that is why we have given the exhibition the title Space - it gives us space to try to map out this continent."
Surprise
Goniwe said the exhibition would also give artists space to produce ideas about "beautiful and pleasurable things". He would not name any of the participating artists, however: "This will be a surprise," he said.
In preparing for the exhibition, 11 curators were working in different parts of Africa, looking for "diversity".
"The exhibition is also a creative and an intellectual space for African artists, curators, writers and various audiences to engage in dialogue on culture, aesthetics, politics and mobility," Goniwe explained.
One of the curators, Melissa Mboweni, said the exhibition would benefit the visual arts and, in turn, Africa.
"The visual arts, generally speaking, have little voice and are not acknowledged as a significant medium, and the role they play outside of supposed aristocracy and investment. Art has always brought to attention important and salient issues.
"It has also influenced how issues like HIV/Aids, poverty, social snobbery and the like can be seen in a different light," she said.

Interview

First Encounter with Steve Bandoma

Steve Bandoma types out responses to my questions whilst in residency at Cite Internationale des Arts in partnership with Mains d’Oeuvres in Paris, where he received an art award and is working on his new work there. Barely 30-years of age, he has managed to swoop up the South African art industry with his take on the conceptual realms of art. So good his work that he received an honourable mention award in the Art Buzz Book 2009 Collection (USA) and also managed to secure a fellowship with the Swiss Arts Council (2009).
Many-a-artist will tell you their first encounter with an easel or attempt at art occurred during their early childhood days. However Bandoma believes he was born an artist:
“I use this term „artist‟ very carefully though! Because there is a lot of confusion today.” He warns. “It is not because you can sing or play with Photoshop that makes you an artist. I mean you can sing and as such can be called a singer. Or you can paint and be labelled a painter, but to be an artist is something far more complex than singing and painting.”
Fair enough considering he believes his artistry is an innate ability and as the old adage goes – “each one to his own.” But in order for one to nurture and establish a natural born talent it is important to factor in how they were socialised and how living in Kinshasa shaped this artist‟s contemporary perspectives.
“My birthplace is an environment which is associated with producing African Art in traditional sense of being an artist and has not much room for the more contemporary practise or conceptual side of art. In 2003, in Kinshasa, we [Francis Mampuya, Vithois Mwilambwe, Alain Mwilambwe, Apolinaire Wantina and tree others] created a movement called “ Librisme Synergie” protesting against academic education system in Congo for not establishing new media or contemporary practice. At colleges I had a desire to develop my career towards the more contemporary side of art.”
With such limitations, a move to South Africa was an inevitable card soon to be dealt in this artist‟s life.
“It‟s was very important for me to spend times out of my country, so I moved to South Africa in 2005. And thereafter I spent almost a year looking for the right contacts in art circles – first in Johannesburg then in Cape Town. South Africa was just where I wanted to be –every hour, minute and second spent here just inspired me further towards being an artist. And I was not going to give up, even after many rejections. There was no other option for me, not even
going back home was an option. I had to get what I wanted. I reflected upon every rejection letter that came my way and was further encouraged to do my best.”
Coupled by a determinism to be recognised and established as an artist – the opportunity came towards the end of 2005 in the Cape 07/ X-Cape Festival. Since then there has been no looking back.
Today, having exhibited at numerous exhibitions, there still stands a difficulty in defining his style. Bandoma laughs candidly before pronouncing that, “some white artists here in South Africa told me not to consider myself as a conceptual artist. Maybe because I am black? I don‟t know. Maybe black artists are not supposed to do conceptual art?”
So not only is there an attempt to break into art circles but there is also a subtle urge to break stereotypical notions on what black artists can practise. Should black artists be limited to pottery or dare I say sculpture and perhaps painting. It becomes further difficult to examine what artists such as Bandoma can and cannot do largely because his vast exposure to contemporary art practise and many other cultures has led to him producing cultural diverse works that cannot be limited by racial barriers.
Besides the colour lines of art practise, Bandoma identifies three other challenges that have made his art path so much more vexing that the ordinary artist:
“It has been though working as a full time artist in another country, for years, with no family around. But then again that was my decision. At times my art has been commercial unviable and as such I have had to lean on my family for support. Another thing about living in South Africa has been my inability to articulate myself fluently in South African languages which is made worse by my not being a South African Citizen. Now imagine the implications of that.”
But I still ponder on whether or not for an artist such as Bandoma, or for any African artist, in this particular day in age where African Art is exoticised and commands a growing demand from those with a penchant for the spectacle of the other, wouldn‟t it be just easier to make traditional art. “I am a conceptual artist. Okay!? I believe that good or inspired art brings meaning in life and also allows an intellectual body to grow,” responds Bandoma as he justifies his choice to dabble in conceptual art as opposed to what he dubs the less mentally stimulating traditional art practise.
The journey is far from over. The challenges come and go. Optimism precedes a quest to be established internationally as an artist: “I see myself in Documenta, Venice Biennale, etcetera!” smile Bandoma as he releases that was the last question.

By Unathi Kondile

STEVE BANDOMA

Space "Currencies in Contemporary African art" at the Museum Africa

The players, from aliens series, 2010

Biography

Interview

Links

Blog Archive